Introduction
Accordion Title Text
Curaçao provides one eGaming licence type, also called a sub-licence. Operating under eGaming licence covers games of skill, randomness, chance and wagering-related services that use telecommunications (phone, Internet, IP Networks, Applications, Services, Mobile, Servers, etc).
The following are some of the games that can be authorised to operate under the Curaçao eGaming licence: Sportsbooks, Betting exchanges, Online casino games (roulette, blackjack, slots), Live dealing, Skill games, Peer to peer games (poker, backgammon, Mah-jong), Mobile games, Fantasy football (or similar), Financial trading, Pari-mutuel and pool betting, Network gaming, Lotteries, Trivia, Bingo, Common platforms, Affiliates and Skins.
Benefits
- 0% gaming tax;
- No VAT;
- No Sales Tax;
- 2% corporation tax for e-Zone companies;
- No restriction on dividend withdrawals;
- One type of licence;
- International private IP compliance network;
- Co-location facilities.
Qualifying for Curaçao’s E-Zone 2% Net Profits Tax
One of the most popular reasons to apply for a company in Curacao is to apply for an E-zone permit to take advantage of the special tax regime where the Curaçao company pays only 2% of its Net company profits. The special tax exemption is valid until the end of December 2025. Only a Curaçao company can hold an E-zone permit.
Specialised Curaçao eGaming Licensing & Compliance Services
We recognise that many eGaming operators may have licences issued and companies established in other jurisdictions and those ancillary applications, technical services and remote functions might be operating from various geographic locations. An operator may wish to operate under the Curaçao eGaming licence in order to benefit from the many specialised compliance services that we offer. We offer specialised services to operators in order to coordinate compliance requirements in a multi-jurisdictional environment. Such services may include but not be limited to application services, domains, IP traffic, the transport and delivery of specific contributing logic or event functions, SSL, DNS, player history data, settlement and back-office services.
Our Services
- Acquiring an eGaming licence;
- Incorporation of a Curacao company;
- Registration for e-Zone status (2% corporate tax) for the e-Gaming company;
- e-Zone registered address;
- Provision of local Managing Director for the eGaming Company;
- Co-location and Hosting Facilities with adequate bandwidth and redundancy in the e-Zone;
- Compliance services – compliance for specific data, application services, IP traffic, contributing remote services and events. Compliance may be achieved via our Global IP compliance services, consisting of global remote IP compliance services, dedicated servers, co-location, VPS, cloud servers, data storage services and hosting;
- Custom solutions – including dedicated servers, VPS servers, private cloud servers, global IP compliance services, cloud data storage, hosting, single unit rack space or high capacity private racks in our worldwide private network locations. Our partners’ compliance services and data centers are strategically located worldwide providing licensees with turnkey compliance-ready solutions, optimal performance and geographic control for maximized delivery of worldwide services. Its core compliance services data centre and centralized hub of our global operations and IP compliance services is located and operated from within the Curaçao Government E-zone. This is the centralized location where all the major International Sub- Marine Fiber-Optic Cable Systems terminate to Curaçao.
Other Services under the Curacao eGaming licence
The following are some examples of other services that can be considered for operation under the Curaçao eGaming licence:
- Common Platform Service Provider;
- Integrator/Services Provider/Operator;
- BackOffice, Registration Management and Services;
- Brokerage, Agent Services;
- Relay or IN-Path event or logic services;
- Backup services or Disaster Recovery.
Introduction
Accordion Title Text
In Romania, the Authority responsible for regulating the gambling industry is the ONJN (Oficiul Național pentru Jocuri de Noroc). On the 24th of February 2016, Romania’s Government has finalised and adopted detailed technical and operational regulations for the gambling industry regarding both online and land-based companies. A Supervisory Committee within the ONJN is assessing the applications and granting the particular licences/ authorisations required by the law.
Licensing Process
A licence must be obtained from the ONJN by all operators wishing to organise gambling activities in Romania. After the Committee has successfully evaluated the applicant’s file, a licence may be granted individually for a period of 10 years. This excludes the temporary games in which case the licence is granted for a limited period of 3 months. Additionally, an authorisation must be obtain from the ONJN. The fees related both to the licences and the authorisation are listed below..
The requirements imposed by the ONJN include:
- Residence in Romania. Operators wishing to offer their services to Romanian gamblers must be residents of Romania, EU or EEA and they must obtain the relevant licences and authorisations from the ONJN. In case the company is a foreign entity, it must appoint a local authorised representative, whose domicile is in Romania, to deal with the competent authorities in the country and have power to conclude contracts on its behalf
- Opening of a bank account with one of the banks in Romania where the operator would need to deposit the players’ money. Licenced remote gaming operators will only be allowed to make payments to players through the payment processors that have been approved by the ONJN
- Requirements regarding the minimum share capital of the company depending on the type of game it offers
- A monthly declaration giving details regarding income from games of change as well as the fees due will have to be submitted to the ONJN on a standard form
- Compliance with the principles regarding the protection of minors as well as with the content of the promotional material used and the locations where they can be displayed
Licensing and authorisation fees
I. Gambling organiser’s licence fees (annual):
A. For lottery games: |
EUR 115 000 |
B. For mutual betting: |
EUR 45 000 |
C. For fixed-rate betting: |
EUR 25 000 |
D. For counterpart betting: |
EUR 25 000 |
E. For games of chance characteristic of casinos: |
EUR 95 000 |
F. For games of chance characteristic of poker clubs: |
EUR 15 000 |
G. For slot machine-type games: |
EUR 20 000 |
H. For bingo games taking place in gambling halls: |
EUR 10 000 |
I. For bingo games of chance organised via television network systems: |
EUR 70 000 |
J. For remote games of chance, there are three categories of licence as follow:
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1st Class Licence: This is granted to operators organising remote games of chance, who have direct contracts with players, and is calculated according to the organiser’s turnover.
2nd Class Licence: for legal persons involved in the field of traditional and remote games of chance, as well as conformity evaluation bodies. This is subject to a fee of EUR 6000/ year.
3rd Class Licence: for the State monopoly remote games provided for in Article 10(1)(h) of the Emergency Ordinance.
- For poker festivals EUR 5 000
- For temporary casino-type games (valid three months) EUR 23 750
- For temporary slot machine-type games (valid three months) EUR 5 000
- For temporary bingo-type games in halls (valid three months) EUR 2 500.
- for tombola type of games – traditional game EUR 5000
- P. for video lottery game – traditional game EUR 50 000
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II. Gambling operator’s authorisation fees (annual):
A. For traditional lottery-type games: |
EUR 180 000 |
B. For mutual betting – traditional: 16 % of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance, but not less than: |
EUR 90 000 |
C. For fixed-rate betting – traditional: 16 % of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance, but not less than: |
EUR 90 000 |
D. For counterpart betting – traditional: 16 % of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance, but not less than: |
EUR 90 000 |
E. For games of chance characteristic of casinos: |
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for each table, in the city of Bucharest: |
EUR 60 000 |
for each table, in other locations than the city of Bucharest: |
EUR 30 000 |
F. For poker clubs: |
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for each premises, in the city of Bucharest: |
EUR 70 000 |
for each premises, in locations other than the city of Bucharest: |
EUR 30 000 |
G. For each slot machine-type piece of gaming equipment: |
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Slot machine Class A |
EUR 2 600 |
Electronic devices offering limited-risk winnings, Class B |
EUR 1 500 |
H. For bingo games taking place in gambling halls: |
EUR 7 000 |
for each hall, as well as 3 % of the nominal value of cards purchased from Imprimeria Naţională SA, the Romanian National Printing Company, which is paid in advance to the State Treasury; a payment order endorsed by the treasury is presented when the cards are collected |
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I. For bingo games of chance organised via television network systems: 16 % of the organiser’s income, as defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance, but not less than: EUR 115 000 |
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J. For 1st Class remote games of chance: 16 % of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as they are defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance but no less than EUR 100 000 |
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K. For 3rd Class remote games of chance: 16 % of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as they are defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance but no less than EUR 100 000 |
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L. For poker festivals |
EUR 20 000 |
M. for temporary casino-type games (valid three months) |
EUR 10 000 |
N. for temporary Class A slot machine-type games (valid three months) |
EUR 650 |
O. for temporary bingo-type games in halls (valid three months) |
EUR 1 750 |
for each location, as well as 3 % of the nominal value of cards purchased from Imprimeria Naţională SA, which is paid in advance to the State Treasury; a payment order endorsed by the treasury is presented when the cards are collected. P. for tombola type of games – traditional game : 16% of the organiser’s income from games of chance, as they are defined in Article 11 of this Emergency Ordinance. |
Special fees:
- For video lottery (VLT): 3 % applied to the licensed operator’s income from games of chance. The fee will be transferred in full to the State budget by the 25th day (inclusive) of the following month, in respect of the previous month. The collected fee will be allocated annually under the State Budget Law to the Ministry of Youth and Sport for supporting sport activities at national level, as well as the financing of sports clubs, centres for children and juniors.
- Access fee – entry ticket:
for games of chance characteristic of casinos: RON 50
for games of chance characteristic of poker clubs: RON 30
- Vice fee for games of chance characteristic of slot-machines provided ad art. 10(1) letter e) point (i) for video lottery (VLT): EUR 400/authorised station/year, to be paid by the organiser together with the licence fee.
- Administration fees for the remote gambling licence application:
Documentation analysis fee: EUR 2.500 paid upon submission of the application for a remote gambling licence, together with submission of the documents provided for in this Emergency Ordinance;
Licence fee: EUR 8.500/year/licence.
Coming Soon
Introduction
Introduction
In March 2012, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted a new Gambling Act which came into force on 30th June 2012 and it replaced the Gambling ACT of 1999. The new law introduces significant changes compared to the legal regime under the repealed Gambling Act of 1999. The new Gambling Act preserved the basic principles of the regulatory regime of gambling activities which have been previously applied in Bulgaria, namely, the regulation of an exhaustive list of permitted gambling games, which can be organised by the state-owned or private entities under a gaming licence.
Types of Games
The Gambling Act stipulates that only the type of gambling games exhaustively listed in it may be organised in the territory of Bulgaria. Such games include:
- Lottery Games (including traditional lottery, digital lottery games, toto, loto, bingo, keno and their variations);
- Sports betting (including betting on horses and dog races);
- Betting on other random events;
- Betting related to the knowledge of facts (Skill games);
- Casino games (including roulette, poker and other card games).
Regulatory Body
The main supervisory and regulatory body is the State Commission of Gambling, which is generally empowered to supervise the activities related to the organisation and offering of online and land-based games, as well as, the activities of the producers, importers, distributors and maintenance companies of gambling equipment.
The Gambling Act provides for general requirements applicable to all gambling games, such as, rules for each game, gaming equipment requirement, currencies of winnings and maximum winnings payable per day.
Legal Requirements
Gambling licences may be issued to Bulgarian companies or companies registered in another EU Member State.
For the purpose of making bets and payments of winnings, a bank account must be opened with a bank licensed in Bulgaria or in the territory of another EU Member State or the Swiss Confederation. There is no legal requirement whereby the money of the company and the money of the players have to be split in two separate accounts. Therefore, there is no need in opening of two separate operational and players’ bank accounts.
If the applicant holds a gambling licence issued by a competent authority in another EU Member State or the Swiss Confederation, under certain mandatory documentation and conditions for the issuance of such licence may be considered as already approved in the Bulgarian application procedure without the presentation of specific documentation to this effect.
The licencing process takes between 2-3 months unless the Gambling Commission requests additional documents or information in support of the application, in which case the deadline for taking a decision is prolonged until the submission of such documents is made.
Each licensee must have a Bulgarian representative, who shall be the contact person between the licensee and the Gambling Commission.
The online gaming licence is issued for the period of 5 years.
Technical Requirements
The game and database server of the applicant can be located within the territory of Bulgaria or in the territory of another EU Member State or the Swiss Confederation.
However, the applicant should have a replication server in the territory of Bulgaria of all the bets and winnings made on the territory of Bulgaria for the submission to the National Revenue Agency of information about the simultaneous gaming sessions, the bets placed, and the winnings paid to each player.
The gambling software, as well as, any new version of the software has to be approved by the Commission of Gambling.
Financial Requirements
Application Fee
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- Sportsbetting €20,000
- Casino and poker games €35,000
- Lottery games €20,000
Licence Fee (covering the period of 5 years)
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- Sportsbetting €20,000
- Casino and poker games €35,000
- Lottery games €20,000
Gaming Tax
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- One off fee €50,000
- 20% of gross monthly profit
Introduction
Introduction
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain. Online gambling in the UK is regulated by the Gambling Act 2005. From 1 November 2014, further to the implementation of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, if a company provides remote gambling in Great Britain and any part of its remote gambling equipment is based in Great Britain or advertises gambling to consumers in Great Britain, the same has to apply for a remote gaming licence from the UKGC.
The Gambling Act 2005 maintains the distinctions between gaming, betting, and the participation in a lottery and in certain aspects continues to regulate each of them differently. The Gambling Act 2005 provides a structure for the regulation of online gambling, which is defined as gambling in which people participate by using “remote communication”.
The UK licensing regime allows a gambling software licence (which might also require an operational licence) and an operational licence. The remote operating licences for each type of gambling activity include:
- Betting
- Bingo
- Casino Games
- Gaming Machines
- Gambling Software
Provided an operator has the appropriate corporate structure, the same shall not be required to apply for multiple licences for the different operations that it offers.
Following implementation of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 operators providing facilities for gambling to British customers who currently do so in reliance on their EEA or White List jurisdiction licences or other permissions will be subject to the Gambling Act’s licencing regime for the first time. Under transitional provisions, such operators who make “advance applications” for appropriate Gambling Commission licences will be granted a “continuation licence.
Personal licences are required by those performing a specified management or operational function, as well as by shareholders having 10% or more interest in the applicant company for a licence.
The gaming tax regime in the UK is based on a “point of consumption” approach. This means that the person making the bet does so while present at a place in the UK where betting facilities are provided in the course of a business and the bet is made using those facilities. Also, the person who makes the bet as principal is a UK person, and the bet is not an excluded bet. A UK person is defined as “an individual who usually lives in the United Kingdom, or a body corporate which is legally constituted in the United Kingdom”.
The gaming tax in the UK equals to 15% of the gross gaming revenue which is the difference between the sum of the bets received for the participation in the game, less the winnings that have been paid out to the players. Also, remote betting is taxed at 15% of gross profits, which is, bets minus wins.
Intention to raise the rate of Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) to 21% from 1 October 2019 is being announced at Budget 2018 to give remote gaming operators sufficient advance notice of the increase.
In order to be able to obtain a remote gambling licence in the UK, one needs to undertake a licensing process through the UK Gambling Commission and provide due diligence information and documentation in line with the Anti Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism legislation. Documentation includes proof of identity as well as other supporting documents relating to the business structure and set up.
Key Points
- Key Equipment – it must be located in jurisdiction where gambling is permitted and local DPA laws must allow data to be transferred to UK GC
- UK contact person & correspondence address must be in place
- Company can be in EU
- Financial statements to confirm good standing and liquidity of UBO for the past 5 years.
- (PML) – 5 employees that will apply for the Personal Management Licenses in charge for:
- Overall Strategy 2. Finances 3. Marketing 4. Regulatory Compliance 5. IT
(these employees/UBO must be approved by the Gambling Commission and must be familiar with the UK regulations).
- Gaming tax report to be submitted quarterly.
- Regulatory Return Report to be submitted quarterly to the UK GC.
Fees – UK Gambling Commission
Application and annual fees depend on the type of operating licence required. Application fees are payable upon submission of application, whilst annual fees are due 30 days after the licence is issued, and every year thereinafter.